Colchester 2 Gillingham 0: League 2 match report from the Jobserve Community Stadium

Gillingham got off to bad start at Colchester on Boxing Day and a defensive blunder late on ensured there was no way back.

Colchester struck early through Lyle Taylor and maintained that slender advantage until the 85th minute when Shad Ogie’s poor defensive pass allowed the hosts to score again through John-Kymani Gordon, clinching a deserved three points for the home side.

Gillingham boss Mark Bonner stuck with an unchanged starting eleven for their festive fixture at Colchester.

His men had the task of trying to break open a defence that hadn’t conceded in their previous six games.

Colchester bossed much of the first half and led through Taylor’s sixth-minute opener, the home forward scoring on the rebound after Gillingham keeper Glenn Morris had saved a shot from Jack Payne.

The goal was created from out wide where winger Owura Edwards caused the Gills all kinds of problems early on.

Just a minute after the opener Colchester had the ball in the net again, following a ball into the box from dangerman Edwards, which Oscar Thorn converted from an offside position.

Gills keeper Morris was forced out to the edge of his area a couple of times to mop up the danger as Colchester looked the better of the teams. On a few occasions they were just more alert to win possession off the visitors.

Goalscorer Taylor tried his luck with a shot from out wide which bounced off the top of the crossbar.

The hosts had a couple of half-hearted penalty appeals waved off but it wasn’t completely one-way traffic.

With only one goal in it, the Gills always had a chance. Jack Nolan went close with a couple of shots at goal.

Nolan’s first attempt went just over while a low effort that was heading to the bottom corner was saved by keeper Matt